Natural Remedies for Diabetes

Before trying any of these natural remedies for diabetes, please check with your doctor. This page briefly answers some of the common questions such as what is diabetes mellitus and what causes diabetes. It also provides some information on the types of diabetes and the warning signs and symptoms of diabetes. Included is a list of vitamins, supplements and herbs for diabetes that may help you cope and manage.

Diabetes mellitus or simply known as diabetes is a disease in which there is a high level or sugar or glucose in the blood. Because of metabolic disorder, the blood glucose or blood sugar does not enter the cells but remains in the blood. Glucose is supposed to enter cells to provide energy to the body and brain and for muscle and tissue growth. When it remains in the blood, the cells are deprived and this will lead to health problems and serious complications such as blindness, heart disease, kidney disease, stroke and ketoacidosis.

To understand why this happens and the causes of diabetes, let's look briefly at what happens after the food we eat is digested.

The carbohydrates that we eat are broken down into glucose. The sugar will then flow into the bloodstream. The pancreas which is part of the digestive system will secrete insulin to enable the glucose to enter cells. The problem happens when the endocrine pancreas does not produce insulin or does not produce enough of it. Without insulin, glucose cannot enter the cells. Insulin resistance is also one of the reasons for high sugar level.

There are 3 types of diabetes. They are known as type one diabetes, type two diabetes and gestational diabetes. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are chronic or lifelong. Type 1 diabetes happens when the pancreas does not produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or because the cells do not respond to insulin. Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy but the blood sugar level will drop back to normal after delivery.

The typical symptoms of type 1 diabetes are a sudden frequent need to urinate, an increase desire to drink to quench thirst and unusual hunger and increase in appetite but losing weight at the same time. Fatigue and irritability are accompanying type 1 diabetes symptoms.

Diabetes type 2 is the most common diabetes that affects millions of people. It is probably because type 2 diabetes symptoms show up gradually and are often overlooked. But if you experience frequent visit to the bathroom, always thirsty and hungry and fatigue, these could be the early warning signs of diabetes type 2. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes include getting frequent bladder, gum and skin infections, slow healing of bruises, cuts and wounds, blurred vision and tingling sensation or numbness felt on hands and feet.

All these symptoms of diabetes are caused by the high level of blood sugar in the bloodstream and cells deprived of glucose. When there is too much blood sugar, your body will try to expel it in your urine. Your body becomes dehydrated and you want to drink more. The cells aren't getting glucose for energy so they make use of the stored fat and this makes you lose weight. And as more water is disposed, the cells draw it from your eyes and it causes blurred vision. And because you don't have the energy, you get easily tired and irritated.

Natural remedies for diabetes No. 1 - Herbal remedies for diabetes

Studies have shown that the active compounds in cinnamon are able to increase glucose metabolism and has the potential to delay, prevent and treat type 2 diabetes.
A report presented in 2001 at the European congress on obesity stated that guggul which is a gum resin from an Indian shrub has anti-obesity and anti-diabetic properties. Studies on animals with type 2 diabetes showed improvement in insulin sensitivity and reduced body weight.
There is evidence that bitter melon extract may help stimulate insulin secretion and also drop the glucose level. You may prefer to eat bitter melon as natural remedies for diabetes but the disadvantage is you have to eat it uncooked everyday which is something that most of us aren't willing to do.

Check out the herbs for diabetes page to find out other herbs that have the potential to treat or manage diabetes.

Natural remedies for diabetes No. 2 - Diet for diabetes

Your doctor and the American Diabetes Association can advice you and provide guidelines on special diet for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. But in general you should avoid glucose, sucrose and dextrose because they will increase your sugar level very fast. One of the alternative and natural remedies for diabetes is to take fructose or fruit sugar because studies have shown that it does not raise your sugar level very much. One of the possible reasons is it has a low glycemic index and the body takes a long time to break it down.

Eat more complex carbohydrates foods such as legumes, starchy vegetables and whole grain breads and cereals because they are slow in raising blood sugar level and when they do rise, the level is low. Examples of legumes are beans, lentils and dried peas. Barley, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, rye and quinoa are whole grain foods.

Another one of the natural remedies for diabetes is to eat foods that are rich in fiber. When you eat whole grain foods, you are also getting fiber. Other sources of fiber are fruits such as apples, bananas, dried figs, raspberries, strawberries and raisins. Legumes such as almonds, black beans, baked beans, lentils and pistachio nuts are also rich in fiber. Vegetables include artichoke, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, baked potatoes with skin, sweet corn and turnip greens.

Tomatoes, onions and Romaine lettuce are good sources of chromium. Chromium is an essential mineral and it supports the proper functioning of insulin and healthy blood sugar levels. Other foods include brewer's yeast, liver and whole grain.

Natural remedies for diabetes No. 3 - Vitamins for diabetes

If you are diabetic, your body needs vitamin B6 or pyridoxine to avoid neuropathy or severe damage to the nervous system due to the high blood sugar level. Taking birth control pills can affect glucose tolerance and vitamin B6 may help improve the condition. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes will also benefit from pyridoxine.

Biotin or vitamin B7 may improve metabolism of glucose and reduce blood sugar. Food sources that you can take as natural remedies for diabetes are cauliflower, egg yolk, legumes, kidney, nuts and sardines.

Researchers also think that inositol, vitamin C and vitamin E have the potential to reduce the risk of diabetes and also prevent nerve damage associate with diabetes.

Natural remedies for diabetes No. 4 - Supplements for diabetes

If you eat too much processed foods, your body may need chromium supplement. Deficiency of chromium will lead to increase in blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides. And if you are resistant to insulin, chromium will help support the problem. When you take chromium supplement, choose chromium picolinate so that the body can absorb it effectively.
Manganese is present in the pancreas and is involved in carbohydrate and fat metabolism and regulating blood sugar. A deficiency can cause diabetes and other serious health problems. If your diet is high in iron, magnesium and calcium and at the same time you aren't eating leafy green vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains, the manganese level in your body is depleted.
Taurine which is a non essential amino acid may help release insulin and prevent complications associated with diabetes.
The University of Michigan did a study and found that zinc is involved in regulating blood sugar and preventing diabetes type 2. It does so by preventing a protein called amylin from attacking insulin producing cells. Food sources that you take as natural remedies are oysters, beef shanks, wheat germ cereals, almonds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
Other supplements that may help as treatment for diabetes are coenzyme Q10, L-carnitine, magnesium and potassium.

How to Reverse Diabetes

Besides all the natural remedies for diabetes, here are some suggestions on how to control diabetes.

Many people who are obese have diabetes type 2. Excess fat cause an increase in insulin level and tissues resist the insulin. The kidney will secrete more glucose into the blood. Unless you lose weight, you may accelerate complications such as cardiovascular disease and stroke.
If you have type 2 diabetes, avoid getting cuts, bruises and other injures especially on your legs and soles of the feet. One of the complications of diabetes is the loss sense of feeling pain and because of this, you may not be aware of an injury. But the time it's too late, you would suffer from serious infection such as gangrene.
Another one of the natural remedies for diabetes is to do regular exercise. Exercise has many health benefits including burning calories and fats and improving blood circulation. As a diabetic, the additional benefit is it supports the movement of glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. When you exercise you use the glucose for energy and the cells will also respond better to insulin. But before you start exercising, check with your doctor to avoid complications.
With type 2 diabetes, you are at a higher risk to get an infection. So, put emphasis on personal hygiene and avoid situation where you can get infected.